The Colosseum is the most recognizable symbol of Rome, and in 2007 it was even recognized as the second of the New Seven Wonders of the World, selected through SMS voting and online polls. At BlogoItaliano, it is not in vain that it is included in the list of the most interesting sights of Rome, and TOP places in Italy in general. So, expanding the theme of places that are especially worth seeing in Italy, BlogoItaliano decided to tell you more about the Colosseum in Rome, as well as how to purchase tickets to it, avoiding the queues.
Helpful advice: The Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine in Rome are a single complex on which a single ticket operates. Therefore, it is better to pre-install yourself a single audio guide for the iPhone link for all three sites, to get around with it all the most important places and save on excursions. An audio guide will be especially useful at the Forum and the Palatine, because it’s almost impossible to figure out among the ruins on your own what is intended.
The application has a map where everything is already marked, built-in GPS and audio stories that work even without the Internet. The first 5 points in the audio guide are available for free, and the full version will cost only a few euros - much cheaper than even the most budget excursion in Rome. You can install the application on your iPhone on this page.
Colosseum in Rome: Historical Context
The construction period of the Colosseum is a special stage in the history of ancient Rome. In the 1st century AD in the capital of the Empire already lived about a million people. Despite the constant bloody wars, the population was constantly growing at the expense of slaves, freedmen, foreigners, and the middle families were then large.
The people, tired for a century from extravagant emperors (Tiberius, Caligula, Nero) and one-day rulers longed for a quiet life. If it’s not a new Augustus (63 BC-14 AD), then at least Claudius (10 BC-54 AD), but without undercover intrigue.
The Coliseum in Ancient Rome accommodated from 50 to 67 thousand spectators
After the six-day fire of 64, hardly a third remained from Rome, and Nero started the construction of a huge palace, the Golden House, on the lands liberated in this way between the Palatine, Tselievsky and Esquiline hills.
Fortune was supportive of Roman citizens: Titus Vespasian had already advanced from the middle class, from the Flavian clan. At the same time, Flavia secretly despised Nero and positioned himself as the heirs of Yuliev-Klavdiev, becoming more and more popular among the people.
After a series of brilliant victories in Britain and Judea, he and his son, the future Emperor Titus, returned to Rome in triumph, but were soon sent to Africa. In 68, Nero commits suicide, and a civil war erupts in the empire. Its outcome in 69 was the election of Vespasian as the new emperor.
Vespasian succeeded through austerity and thanks to the generous military booty to restore Rome and erect a number of new structures, including Roman Coliseum on the site of the demolished Golden House of Nero. Construction was carried out from 72 to 80, and the emperor Titus had to “take the order” - his father died in 79.
Vespasian did not live to see the opening of the legendary amphitheater
Amphitheater Flaviev (it was called then) had an ellipsoidal shape, height - from 48 to 50 m, perimeter - 524 m, arena size - 86 × 54 m. The celebrations on the occasion of the opening of the Coliseum were held on an unprecedented scale, which was especially felt after the reign of Vespasian, who taxed even public toilets.
The festivities lasted, according to biographers, 100 days. Performances were staged of Greek and Roman myths, Navachahs ("sea battles"), animal persecution, single and group battles. According to various sources, from 5,000 to 9,000 thousand wild animals and up to 2,000 gladiators died during this time.
In memory of the martyrs torn to pieces in the arena of the Coliseum, a cross is set.
The multi-day holiday was to become a kind of "inauguration" of the new emperor. However, upon returning from Rome to his ancestral villa, he caught a fever and soon died, having reigned for less than 2 years. Nevertheless, in the people's memory, Titus remained as one of the best rulers, and moreover, was deified. He distributed plenty of bread, organized entertainment at the highest level - it can’t be any better, right?
Colosseum in Rome from the inside
Everyone who wanted to attend the performance had to be a member of one of the Roman communities, for which seats were reserved. Passing to the Coliseum, the audience presented a small piece of marble with numbers carved on it - a tesser. The numbers indicate the sector, row and place.
In the days of performances, the amphitheater was filled with the public in 10-15 minutes, thanks to 80 entrances: 4 emperors were allocated for the emperor, senators and vestals, through the remaining 76 all others could follow.
Coliseum Underground
Inside the hierarchy was even more rigid. The tiers for the audience were - for security reasons - fenced off the arena with a 5-meter wall, but only the emperor, his entourage, members of the Senate and Priestesses of Vesta (2,000 seats) could occupy the first tier, the Romans located at the second tier no lower than the horsemen estate (12,000 seats) )
Given the fact that the Colosseum in ancient Rome accommodated from 50 to 67 thousand spectators, the rest of the public had to sit or stand close to each other during the whole performance. It was possible to go to your tier along one of the 76 stairs. After the "show", not all dispersed, especially if multi-day celebrations were planned. Spectators brought food and bedding with them and spent the night in the open.
The Colosseum is striking in scale, even if you are far from history
In the reign of Titus's younger brother - Domitian - Colosseum in Ancient Rome replaced the underground devices that provide quick filling of the arena with water for "sea battles" and its rapid drainage, on mechanisms that literally catapult animals and people into the arena.
In order not to interrupt the performance with a “change of scenery”, tunnels leading into the barracks, menageries and stalls were dug from the amphitheater beyond its borders. The Colosseum became a model building for all the provinces of the empire. About 250 such amphitheaters were built throughout Europe and Africa, some of which have been preserved.
Roman Colosseum: it is impossible to execute pardon
The last gladiatorial battle took place at the Coliseum in about 523, although this kind of spectacle was previously banned several times: the world became a Christian. In the VIII century, the Flavian amphitheater received its modern name - the Colosseum - from the Latin collosseus, which means "huge", "huge".
Ironically, this may have been due to the 37-meter-high statue of Nero standing nearby until then. The statue of Flavia, of course, was “edited” at one time and dedicated to Helios, the god of the Sun, but this is a completely different story.
Near the Coliseum, you can almost always find artists - "gladiators"
Until the XIV century. the general appearance of the Colosseum did not change due to the fact that it was constantly owned by some feudal lord who considered himself the offspring of a noble ancient Roman family. But at the beginning of the century he was transferred to the German Emperor Henry VII, and he presented the amphitheater to the Senate and people, in 1349 the building was partially destroyed due to a powerful earthquake.
The earthquake served as a kind of signal for an attack on the Roman Coliseum: tramps finally settled in underground rooms and galleries, and the inhabitants of the city - from dads to ordinary citizens - began to slowly dismantle it for new buildings. One of the pontiffs set up a saltpeter plant under his arches, the other a quarry. It is good that the ancient builders tried their best, and fortunately, they failed to destroy the majestic building, even for several centuries.
The walls of the Coliseum “remember” the events of 2000 years ago
In the XVIII century. they decided to open a memorial in his arena in memory of Christians allegedly tortured there. But in 1874, the established crosses and altars were dismantled, after which the Roman Colosseum was first simply maintained, and then gradually restored. Work is ongoing to this day. After another reconstruction, in 2010, tunnels were opened for visitors, through which they led to the arena of gladiators and unfortunate animals.
Coliseum today
The Roman Colosseum is certainly worth seeing and exploring - both from the outside and from the inside. If only because no one, even the most complete story, can convey a somewhat mysterious, a little creepy, but at the same time solemn atmosphere reigning here. This is one of those places where a complete immersion in history is felt, and a rational consciousness refuses to recognize that the construction is almost 2 thousand years old.
Currently, part of the Colosseum has been restored to give visitors an idea of how the Arena looked during its heyday. The other is left in pristine condition.
A tour with an audio guide is very popular with tourists. Any visitor can rent an audio device for a small additional fee, with which he receives a small card. Moving around the perimeter of the Coliseum on points on the map, you can include an audio recording that will tell you in detail about what you see right in front of you.
Address, opening hours, how to get
The Roman Coliseum is located at: Piazza del Colosseo in the Celio area.
There are several ways to get to the Coliseum:
- by metro: the nearest stations are Colosseo (line B) and Manzoni (line A), although you will have to walk a little from the last one or drive a couple of stops on tram number 3;
- buses of routes 60, 75, 85, 87, 271, 571, 175, 186, 810, 850, C3;
- tram route number 3
Working hours:
The Colosseum in Rome is open from 8:30 a.m. to the pre-sunset hour, which depends on the season:
- until 16:30 - January 2 - February 15
- until 5 p.m. - February 16 - March 15
- until 5:30 p.m. - March 16 - last Saturday of March
- until 19:15 - the last Sunday of March - August 31
- until 19:00 - September 1 - 30
- until 18:30 - October 1 - the last Sunday of October
- until 16:30 - the last Sunday of October
You will not be able to get to the Coliseum - May 1, January 1 and December 25, because these days it is officially closed to the public.
The first Sunday of every month is a day of free entry to the Coliseum. There are a lot of people who want to get inside that day.
Colosseum Tickets
Buy tickets to the Roman Coliseum possible on the spot. But, according to the apt remark of one of the travelers, almost half of China is in the queue for the amphitheater. Between those who are weary of the generous Roman sun, “gladiator” artists scurry around, offering to take a photo of the Coliseum in Rome with their participation.
The time that will be spent in line depends on good luck. Sometimes they manage to cope in 40 minutes, but often the wait is delayed for several hours: tourists are allowed into the territory in small groups. In recent years, the Colosseum has also added security controls, like at the airport. So now the line is moving even slower.
Queue for tickets to the Coliseum
In winter, the situation changes little. Out of turn are excursionists, of whom there are thousands, and those who have purchased tickets in advance - via the Internet. Tickets purchased online are slightly higher than at the box office, but you don’t have to spend time standing in a long line.
Easy waybuy tickets to the Colosseum in Rome online - on a specialized website link, the procedure will take several minutes, but will save hours on the spot. Moreover, tickets to the Coliseum are also suitable for visiting the Roman Forum and the Palatine.
To purchase tickets to the Colosseum in Rome online, you need to:
- go to the site;
- choose the date and time of the visit,
- indicate the number of people
- pay for the order
- receive, print and take with you a voucher that arrives at the specified email address.
You can also visit the Coliseum as part of an organized excursion. BlogoItaliano wrote about the 5 most popular excursions in Rome in a separate article. The article also has contact guides to book an excursion.
Photos by: alex, tomylees
